Tattoo Shenanigans
by F1icker
Summary: Riza's tattoo had been acting strange so she confides in Roy after hours.


**Tattoo Shenanigans**

The light that had long left the skies of Amestris now was only visible in the single window of the Amestrian military Central Headquarters where Colonel Mustang's office resides. Every member of the infamous team had left to go home for the night side from Colonel Mustang himself and his First Lieutenant who were both staying behind to finish off all the days paperwork.

"Sir, can I talk to you for a moment please." First Lieutenant Riza Hawkeye asked her superior Colonel Roy Mustang in a small voice. Roy gave her a puzzled look as she never normally requested to speak to him unless he'd done something to annoy her and as far as Mustang was concerned, he had finished all his paperwork and had done nothing bad. However, he still ushered her towards his office. She timidly followed him through the door which was very unlike Riza; she always walked with a sense of pride and purpose. Roy entered his office closing the door behind him and walked over to his desk chair and sat down with Riza standing on the other side looking at him was what looked like pain in her auburn eyes which shone in the moonlight that seeped through the thin curtains attempting to cover the window.

"What's wrong Riza?" Roy asked with genuine concern for his most precious subordinate. He had only seen her this distressed twice before, once in Ishbal and the other on the day her father died.

Riza took a deep breath and only released it when she saw the look in Roy's eyes, one of love but not in a passionate way and filled with concern. Finally, after deciding she had procrastinated enough Riza began with what she had to say to Roy.

"My back.." she began and Roy's facial expression instantly changed to one of hate for what her father did but then worry and curiosity about what she had to say for the tattoo of Flame Alchemy. "Its changing. The array is shifting." Now a look of surprise and confusion flashed across his face. His mouth dropped open but he quickly shut it.

"How..?" he stuttered. "How is that even possible?"

"I don't know, so that's why I came to see you as soon as I saw it. I just woke up this morning and the salamander started to crawl around by back. Then some of the lines began to entwine with each other and the characters started to swirl around." Riza confessed, fear laced her shaky voice.

Roy took one look at her and seeing how distressed she was, he got up from his chair, walked around to meet her on the other side of his desk. Their eyes met as he asked for permission to act freely which she granted with a single look. With her confirmation he reached out his arms and enveloped her into a warm hug. Roy's right hand found its way to the small of her back where he rubbed tiny circles in an attempt to soothe her distress. However his left hand made its way to the back of her head which he used to pull her as close to him as she would be okay with. Tears began to form in the corner of Riza's eyes but she never let them fall. That would be for later when she was in the comfort of her own home and the presence of her dog, Black Hayate.

"Hey, do you want to come back to my place and then tomorrow, as we don't have to come into work, we can have a look at your tattoo. You shouldn't have to be alone when going through this and you know you're always welcome." Roy asked in a soft voice. He got no reply but none was needed, Roy could tell her reply from the small movement of her head that went up and down. He smiled and broke their embrace to lead her to the door and out of the building towards his apartment.

"I didn't drive to work today so we'll have to walk, sorry." Roy told her nervously.

"It's ok." Riza gave him a small smile. "Your company is nice."

Roy smiled widely and took her hand in his once they were far enough away giving it a squeeze as they went. The silence that blanketed the air between the pair was not an uncomfortable one but rather one of comfort and a love that can't exist. After a while, the couple reached the place that Roy lived and he led Riza inside.

Exhausted from the long day that they both had, Riza walked right in and slumped onto his sofa in a very unladylike fashion as Roy put it. She just gave him a death glare and then just closed her eyes. Roy walked to his kitchen and made a cup of lemon iced tea which he knew Riza loved way more than normal tea which she adored.

He came back and passed her the glass which she took gratefully and put the rim to her lips and began to drink. Once she was done, Roy took her glass and put it back in his kitchen. He began to make some food for himself and Riza but a piercing scream of agony coming from his living room stopped him in his tracks. As quick as a flash, Roy sprinted back to where he had left Riza who was now writhing on the floor in excruciating pain from her back. Her back that was on fire.

Roy ran back into his kitchen and grabbed a towel and doused it in cold water to bring back to his queen. He held the towel to her back and stroked the crown of her head soothingly. Her cries of pain filled the room for about 10 minutes before the flames started to die out, the pain started to subside and the yells ended.

Roy's towel was now well and truly crispy, stained with black, he threw it aside and turned back to Riza. She now began to pant heavily, recovering from the pain as Roy took her into his arms which she fell back into, no energy left in her weakened body. Roy ran out of the room, gently lying her down on her front, and grabbed some burn cream and bandages that he had left over from their last back burning excursion. He returned almost instantaneously and began to treat her fresh wounds.

"Damn, that hurt." she breathed. "Why on earth did that happen?"

"I have no idea," Roy replied as he continued to try and soothe her shaking, fragile frame.

Riza stifled a yawn which made Roy chuckle. "Come on then, I'll take you to my room." he said and picked her up bridal style before she could complain. Riza wriggled around, attempting to free herself to little success. Roy's strong arms held her tightly.

"Sir, this is highly inappropriate behaviour. Please put me down, I am capable of walking using my own two feet."

"Come on Riza, your back was just on fire and you're in no fit state to walk." Roy retorted slightly annoyed.

"Wait." she said. Roy stopped in his tracks about halfway up the stairs.

"Yes?"

"I'm not sleeping in your bed am I?"

"Well unless you want to sleep on the couch then yes. Yes you are. I'll sleep on the couch, it won't be good for your back and its not comfortable enough for you to get the rest you need."

"Absolutely not sir. Despite my recent injuries you are the superior officer therefore you should and you will sleep on _your_ bed."

"But Riza, you'll need the comfort more than I do."

"I refuse."

"Please"

"No."

"Rizaaaaaaaa."

"No"

"Pleaaaaasssssssseeeeeeeeee Rizaaaaaaaaaaa." Roy looked at her with his adorable puppy dog eyes begging her with all his might. Riza took one look at his face and her cold heart melted. She sighed. Roy might have one this battle but the war was far from over.

"Fine." she replied stoticly.

Roy gave her a smirk that said, _"haha I won."_ Riza sighed again and Roy continued up the stairs and reached the first room on the left, his bedroom. He struggled to open the door whilst holding Riza but after some difficulties, he managed to open it and let them both inside.

Roy's room was certainly one of a kind. He had a long shelf stacked up with books on Alchemy and its many variants but if you looked close enough, you could find his collection of romance novels some of which contained his alchemy notes but of course you wouldn't know that unless you were Roy, Riza or Riza's father who knew where his notes were hidden. A large king sized sat in the middle of the wall that you saw as soon as you walked in. He had a large desk in one corner also stacked high with book and a plethora of pages littered everywhere. His clothes were hanging on the back of his desk chair along with all the random items of clothing that peppered his floor.

Roy blushed with embarrassment as he saw Riza's eyes dart around his messy floor. He gently placed Riza on his bed and hurried around, grabbing all his clothes and shoving them in his big wooden wardrobe. When he turned back to apologize to Riza he saw her beautiful face at peace and fast asleep. Not having the heart to wake her up, Roy draped his duvet over her sleeping form and pressed a light kiss to her forehead which knowing Riza, she wouldn't approve of. Oh well. What Riza didn't know wouldn't hurt her. Roy looked at her content face one last time, love evident in his eyes. Sighing, he left her to rest and disappeared from the room back to the couch where he had sentenced himself to bed. Making himself as comfortable as possible, Roy too fell fast asleep.

~/~

Timeskip

~/~

About 2 hours later and at roughly 1 in the morning Roy awoke to the screams of the woman in his bed upstairs. Once more, Roy raced to her side. Luckily this time, Riza's back was not on fire so that was a positive. That was the only positive however. One of the negatives was that it looked like Riza was having a nightmare, she was screaming and crying and sweat painted her face.

"Riza, Riza, Riza." Roy shook her body, trying to wake her. "Wake up. You're safe, I'm here."

Riza sat bolt upright her breath heavy, her eyes wide and her skin pale with fright. Her hands squirmed their way out of Roy's grasp and clutched her head. Roy grabbed her hands again not wanting to let her go. He brought them down to her lap and wrapped his arms around Riza's body whispering in her ear that he wasn't leaving and she was ok and that it was just a nightmare not reality.

Riza leaned her head on his solid chest and also rapped her arms around Roy's body. She tried to stop crying but found she couldn't which made her cry even more. Roy's thin shirt was now soaked with her tears making Riza feel guilty. She pulled away from their hug but failed and got pulled back into Roy's warm but wet embrace.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Roy asked.

A swift shake of her head denied him the answers he was looking for. Sighing, Roy finally left the warmth of their hug and made his move to leave the room and go back to his couch but stopped as Riza tugged at his shirt.

"Please don't go." she whispered desperately.

Roy looked back at her pleading eyes that were filled with yet more unshed tears and realised he couldn't deny her anything. Sighing, he clambered into the bed and lay down next to Riza. She immediately snuggled deep into his chest. Frozen for a moment, Roy unsure what to do simply just slung his arm around her small waist. As Riza's eyes closed a small smile appeared on her face obviously happy about their currently compromising situation. Letting out a small laugh, Roy pressed a kiss to the top of her head.

This was what they both knew they wanted but couldn't ever have. Roy shifted slightly to be able to look deep into her beautiful brown eyes wanting to savour this moment for as long as possible.

Sensing his slight movement, Riza opened her eyes and stared right back at Roy. He jumped in her arms as he thought she was asleep where she clearly wasn't.

"You're awake." he stated.

"Great observation."

Roy made a face which brought light to Riza's eyes in happiness which in turn made Roy happy. Riza moved slightly closer and they both realised how close they were to each other, merely separated by a hair's breadth.

Their eyes locked as Roy silently asked for permission which Riza granted.

Roy's head moved closer first until Riza followed suit and their lips met.

They would worry about the tattoo later.

~/~


End file.
